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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. pass — a permit
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. squash — to crush
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — a line
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. root — of a word
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. root — of a plant
  12. row — to paddle
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. squash — the sport
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — a committee
  18. mate — to breed
  19. degree — from a university
  20. degree — an amount
  21. mate — a friend
  22. degree — temperature
  23. mate — a partner
  24. board — to get on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com